Category: US GSA

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GSA and VA Bring Solar-Powered EV Charging Stations Nationwide

Source: United States General Services Administration

October 7, 2022

WASHINGTON, DC — In support of the Biden-Harris Administration’s efforts to tackle climate change and the President’s Federal Sustainability Plan requiring the federal fleet transition to zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs), the General Services Administration (GSA) and the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) announced a contract award for the purchase of 140 solar-powered electric vehicle charging stations at 34 sites around the country. VA is leaning in on the acquisition of ZEVs and taking this innovative step to support those electric vehicles with the purchase of solar electric vehicle supply equipment (EVSE).

The 140 solar-powered EVSE stations maximize VA’s flexibility on charging because they are both mobile, rely on carbon-free electricity for the vehicles, and are independent of the grid. Each EVSE station is equipped with four charging ports that will support VA’s growing fleet of ZEVs.

“We’re thrilled to be partnering more closely with VA to build a more sustainable future for its fleet and its facilities across the country,” said GSA Administrator Robin Carnahan. “We look forward to helping VA and all of our federal partners transition to electric vehicles, saving taxpayer dollars and building a brighter future for coming generations.”

“VA’s fleet of vehicles help us serve Veterans, and these solar-powered charging units are a great first step in making that fleet more sustainable,” said VA Secretary Denis McDonough. “By partnering with GSA, VA is leading the way in vehicle electrification efforts—making sure VA’s fleet is well-positioned to serve Veterans for generations to come.”

“The White House applauds GSA and VA’s leadership in electrifying the federal fleet. President Biden’s Federal Sustainability Plan requires all light duty vehicle acquisitions be electric by 2027, and GSA and VA actions today keep us on a solid path to meet that goal,” said Federal CSO Andrew Mayock.

VA is looking to install charging stations at its medical centers and other locations in preparation for transitioning its fleet to ZEVs. These sites contribute to the growing number of properties around the country with dedicated charging stations, which will support a more sustainable transportation future.

GSA is the mandatory source for executive agencies purchasing non-tactical vehicles in the United States, excluding postal vehicles. The federal fleet consists of more than 423,000 leased and agency-owned vehicles. GSA offers various types of EVSE through its Multiple Award Schedule program and also recently awarded 16 governmentwide blanket purchase agreements, which will enable greater planning for and acquisition of EVSE at federal facilities. In the last year, the number of ZEVs ordered by GSA for the federal fleet rose from 643 in FY21 to more than 3,550 in FY22.

Solar EVSE, such as the equipment procured for the VA, is 100% renewable. These types of charging stations can supplement or create charging hubs at sites that may not have existing electrical capacity. They are also mobile and eliminate installation costs, which can be quite costly at older facilities.

Federal agencies looking for resources about procuring alternative fuel vehicles, acquiring EVSE, and installing that equipment from GSA should visit gsa.gov/electrifythefleet for more information.

About GSA: GSA provides centralized procurement and shared services for the federal government, managing a nationwide real estate portfolio of nearly 370 million rentable square feet, overseeing approximately $75 billion in annual contracts, and delivering technology services that serve millions of people across dozens of federal agencies. GSA’s mission is to deliver the best customer experience and value in real estate, acquisition, and technology services to the government and the American people. For more information, visit GSA.gov and follow us at @USGSA.

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Vehicle Traffic Impact at the Calexico West Port of Entry Will Last a Year

Source: United States General Services Administration

October 6, 2022

Canopy installation project will require partial and continuous northbound vehicle lane closures

CALEXICO, Calif. ㅡ The U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) and the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) announce the continuation of work on the 12-month long construction project to install a canopy over the northbound privately owned vehicle (POV) inspection lanes at the Calexico West Land Port of Entry (LPOE). The initial phase of work, which included the foundation for the canopy support columns has concluded, and GSA is preparing to begin work on installing the 395-foot long canopy structure.

This work will require partial and continuous northbound vehicle lane closures that will impact vehicle traffic starting on Thursday, October 10, 2022 and concluding mid-October 2023. During this period, the traveling public can expect two northbound POV lanes to be closed continuously to accommodate nighttime construction work. The number of available POV inspection lanes and hours are as follows:

  • Weekday Daytime Hours – From 6 a.m. to 8 p.m., Monday – Friday, at least eight POV lanes will be available for CBP operations. Two lanes will remain closed continuously.
  • Weekday Nighttime Hours – From 8 p.m. to 6 a.m., Monday – Friday, at least five POV lanes will be available for CBP operations. Between four and five lanes will be closed.
  • Weekends – Construction work on the canopy will not occur during the weekends and at least eight POV lanes would be available for CBP operations.

GSA and CBP have been meeting with local government officials and stakeholders to minimize the traffic impact the lane closures are likely to have for the traveling public in the Calexico – Mexicali region. CBP encourages travelers to cross through the Calexico East LPOE to help alleviate traffic congestion at the Calexico West LPOE. To help minimize border wait times, Calexico’s East LPOE will open at 5 a.m. and close at 10 p.m. Monday through Friday starting September 26. Hours on Saturday and Sunday will remain as normal at Calexico East LPOE from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m.

SENTRI lanes at Calexico East LPOE will open at 5 a.m. and close at 10 p.m. from Monday through Friday. Saturday and Sunday will be open from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m.

SENTRI lanes at Calexico West LPOE remain unchanged from 4 a.m. to 12 a.m. from Monday through Friday. Saturday and Sunday remain 4 a.m. to 2 a.m.

Pedestrian lanes at both Calexico’s East and West Ports of Entry will remain unaffected during this 12-month period. Southbound hours of operation at both Calexico East and West remain unchanged.

CBP anticipates higher than normal border crossing wait times during this period and advises travelers to prepare for potential delays. Border wait times can be monitored 24/7 at https://bwt.cbp.gov/.

For more information about the Calexico West LPOE reconfiguration and expansion project, visit the Calexico West project page.

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About GSA: GSA provides centralized procurement and shared services for the federal government, managing a nationwide real estate portfolio of nearly 370 million rentable square feet, overseeing approximately $75 billion in annual contracts, and delivering technology services that serve millions of people across dozens of federal agencies. GSA’s mission is to deliver the best customer experience and value in real estate, acquisition, and technology services to the government and the American people. For more information, visit GSA.gov and follow us at @USGSA.

About CBP: CBP officers at the border crossing in Southern California stop illegal activity while processing millions of legitimate travelers into the United States.

Understand that everyone who applies for entry into the U.S. is subject to inspection. CBP officers may conduct a search of your person, your luggage and vehicle in order to enforce our laws as well as protect other travelers.

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Biden-Harris administration awards Grand Portage border project contracts

Source: United States General Services Administration

October 6, 2022

Contact: tanya.schusler@gsa.gov

CHICAGO – As part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the U.S. General Services Administration has awarded two key contracts for the Grand Portage Land Port of Entry, Grand Portage, Minnesota, including:

  • A $1.78 million contract for a pre-design, enhanced Program Development Study to Hammel, Green and Abrahamson of Minneapolis to update the program of requirements for the Land Port of Entry in northeastern Minnesota. HGA will develop a final schematic building footprint and site plan alternatives.
  • A $156,457 contract for an environmental assessment awarded – in compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act – to a small business, Potomac-Hudson Engineering, Inc. Potomac-Hudson will analyze and assess the environmental effects that may result from the proposed action.

“We’re excited to move forward with this project,” said GSA’s Public Buildings Service Great Lakes Regional Commissioner Angel Dizon. “Beyond meeting the functional and performative goals of our customer, this funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law gives us the opportunity to maximize economic, environmental, and social outcomes.”

The overall project proposes replacing the existing obsolete facility with the construction of a new facility. Also, expanding the site will allow for enhanced traffic flow and management. Construction is slated to be completed in 2029.

The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law includes a total of $3.4 billion for GSA to build and modernize land ports of entry on the country’s northern and southern borders. The investments will improve commerce and trade, create good-paying construction jobs, and incorporate new and innovative sustainability features.

Note: Reported project costs are planning estimates and subject to change due to time and market conditions.

Find out more information about GSA’s LPOE projects.

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About GSA: We provide centralized procurement and shared services for the federal government, managing a nationwide real estate portfolio of nearly 370 million rentable square feet, overseeing approximately $75 billion in annual contracts, and delivering technology services that serve millions of people across dozens of federal agencies. Our mission is to deliver the best customer experience and value in real estate, acquisition, and technology services to the government and the American people. For more information, visit GSA.gov and follow us at @USGSA

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GSA awards International Falls border project contract

Source: United States General Services Administration

October 6, 2022

Contact: tanya.schusler@gsa.gov

CHICAGO – As part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the U.S. General Services Administration awarded a contract to a small business for Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement services for the International Falls, Minnesota, Land Port of Entry project.

Potomac-Hudson Engineering, Inc., based in Maryland, won the contract to conduct studies in compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act to determine if the project will have new environmental impacts. The original Environmental Impact Statement was published in 2012.

“Beyond meeting the functional and performative goals of our customer, we have the opportunity to maximize economic, environmental, and social outcomes with this project,” said GSA’s Public Buildings Service Great Lakes Regional Commissioner Angel Dizon.

The overall project proposes replacing the existing obsolete facility with the construction of a new facility. Also, expanding the site will allow for enhanced traffic flow and management. Construction is slated to be completed in 2029.

The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law includes a total of $3.4 billion for GSA to build and modernize land ports of entry on the country’s northern and southern borders. The investments will improve commerce and trade, create good-paying construction jobs, and incorporate new and innovative sustainability features.

Note: Reported project costs are planning estimates and subject to change due to time and market conditions.

Find out more information about GSA’s LPOE projects.

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About GSA: We provide centralized procurement and shared services for the federal government, managing a nationwide real estate portfolio of nearly 370 million rentable square feet, overseeing approximately $75 billion in annual contracts, and delivering technology services that serve millions of people across dozens of federal agencies. Our mission is to deliver the best customer experience and value in real estate, acquisition, and technology services to the government and the American people. For more information, visit GSA.gov and follow us at @USGSA.

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TMF Announces Investments in Technology at OPM, HUD, and DOD

Source: United States General Services Administration

October 6, 2022

The latest investments will increase cybersecurity while improving access to online services for the federal government and the American public

WASHINGTON – Today, the Technology Modernization Fund (TMF) announced three new investments that will optimize user experience, ensure cybersecurity is consistent with federal standards, and reduce operating costs. TMF funding and support will:

  • Help the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) improve and simplify the OPM.gov website for the site’s 22 million unique annual visitors.
  • Modernize the Federal Housing Administration’s IT infrastructure, improving the experiences of more than 95,000 external users.
  • Secure and monitor networks at depots, arsenals, and ammunition plants that support the U.S. Army.

“If we are going to deliver digital transformation for the American people in our lifetimes, we must think and work differently across the federal enterprise. Through TMF investments, we are demonstrating what’s possible right now in modern government service delivery,” said TMF Board Chair and Federal CIO Clare Martorana. “The investments in OPM, HUD, and the Army will address immediate security needs and enhance customer experience and business operations by modernizing outdated systems – expectations we must be able to meet for our customers.”

“With these new investments, the TMF now has a portfolio of 31 investments totaling over half a billion dollars,” said TMF Executive Director Raylene Yung. “But beyond funding, we’re working closely with our partners to provide them with expertise and support while also empowering their own teams to execute these projects in a way that ensures maximum benefits for the public.”

This round of investments includes:

OPM.gov Modernization

It can be challenging for federal employees, job seekers, and HR professionals to navigate OPM.gov’s 20,000 pages to find what they need. With a $6 million TMF investment, OPM will update both the technology behind and the content on the OPM.gov website. This will allow OPM to implement an updated and more secure Content Management System (CMS) hosted on OPM’s cloud environment, ensuring that users have intuitive and accessible web tools.

“A user-friendly website plays a critical role in OPM’s mission to communicate the federal government’s policies, services, and benefits more clearly and effectively,” said OPM Director Kiran Ahuja. “This investment will improve the government’s ability to recruit job seekers, supply the federal workforce with relevant career-related information, and make it easier for public servants to manage their benefits.”

HUD Identity Credential Access Management Modernization

A $14.8-million TMF investment will allow HUD to replace costly legacy systems with a cloud-based platform that will seamlessly integrate certain Federal Housing Administration Connection (FHAC) systems with Login.gov. This investment will improve customer experience by creating self-service registration capabilities for users, organizations, and application administrators.

“Tens of thousands of external users engage with HUD’s current FHAC components,” said Beth A. Niblock, HUD Chief Information Officer. “Yet, our current systems are over-extended, redundant, and poorly integrated. The modernization of FHAC will give FHA-approved lenders and business partners secure access to the services they need.”

Army Critical Infrastructure Cyber Protection Project

The Department of the Army operates 26 Organic Industrial Base (OIB) sites supported by nearly 28,000 employees. These sites contribute an economic impact of more than $8.5 billion across the United States. This project will heighten cyber capabilities and establish a Security Operations as-a-Service framework that ensures cyber defenders can monitor, respond, and remediate cyber threats.

“Funding from the TMF will help the Army to address this critical and urgent need as much as two years earlier than waiting for agency funding to become available through the regular budgeting process,” said Dr. Raj Iyer, Army Chief Information Officer. “For the Army and its partners, this project will modernize and improve our cybersecurity posture and enhance the command and control of critical OIB.”

Since the American Rescue Plan appropriated an additional $1 billion in resources, the TMF has received over 150 proposals from 70 agencies and components, representing over $2.8 billion in funding demand. In June 2022, the TMF Board announced a $100 million allocation to help streamline and improve public-facing digital services and technology systems to deliver a better customer experience to the American people. TMF will prioritize projects that cut across agencies and systems, address immediate security gaps, and improve the public’s ability to access and manage government services. Investments from this allocation will be announced on a rolling basis beginning in FY 2023.

For more information, visit: tmf.cio.gov

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About the TMF: The Technology Modernization Fund is working to transform the way the government uses technology to deliver for the American public in an equitable, secure, and user-centric way. The TMF invests in technology projects across government, providing incremental funding, technical assistance, and oversight throughout execution to ensure the success of its investments.

The TMF is overseen by the Technology Modernization Board, which is composed of government IT leaders representing proven expertise in technology, transformation, and operations. To date, the TMF has announced investments totaling over $600 million. These investments have supported projects ranging from providing a single secure login experience for government websites to digitizing temporary worker visa programs and modernizing systems that support crop inspection and certification. The TMF has received $175 million through the annual budget process and $1 billion through the American Rescue Plan to fund modernization projects to date. For more information, visit tmf.cio.gov and follow us at @TMF_gsa.

About GSA: GSA provides centralized procurement and shared services for the federal government, managing a nationwide real estate portfolio of nearly 370 million rentable square feet, overseeing approximately $75 billion in annual contracts, and delivering technology services that serve millions of people across dozens of federal agencies. GSA’s mission is to deliver the best customer experience and value in real estate, acquisition, and technology services to the government and the American people. For more information, visit GSA.gov and follow us at @USGSA.